


Float

by Mina Lightstar (ukefied)



Category: Final Fantasy VI
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-05
Updated: 2009-10-05
Packaged: 2017-10-11 22:16:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/117686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ukefied/pseuds/Mina%20Lightstar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the world breaks, everything falls down -- except Terra.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Float

**Author's Note:**

> For Fireeye, for a ficbit request meme.
> 
> This was basically my huge fuck-you to Dissidia's rendition of Terra. I've never denied that Terra spends much of the game confused and wondering who she is, what her place is in this world -- but not once, not _ever_ , did Terra hesitate or back down when she had to fight.

_The world is breaking,_ is Terra's first -- only -- conscious thought. The Statues, their delicate balance disturbed, are livid, and their anger rains upon the world. The _noise...!_ Terra brings her hands to her head, trying to squeeze the headache out. It's worse than the Sealed Gate's call -- worse than Valigarmanda's. The Warring Triad will--

"Come on!" Setzer shouts from the helm, waving frantically with fearful eyes -- expecting the Floating Island to collapse at any moment.

A gust of wind rocks the Blackjack, accompanied by a bolt of lightning and a clap of thunder. Terra struggles to keep her footing, and catches a shrieking Relm as she tumbles by. "I should have gone," she berates herself, Relm in one hand and railing in the other. "I might have done something!"

"--have to--" comes Celes' voice, difficult to hear, "--wait--Shadow!"

"Shit!" Setzer curses as another burst of energy rocks the ship. "Tell him to hurry or we're leaving his rump behind!"

"Grampa!" Relm cries, and Strago joins their huddle, clinging for dear life. "This is bullshit! Can't we do _anything?!_ "

"Hey, watch your mouth," Sabin scolds her, padding over to stand in front of them. Knowing him, he plans to save them from any falling debris. "You got plenty of years left to curse."

Terra looks through the railing at the black sky and the harsh weather. She can feel every bolt of lightning that strikes the earth, every tree that falls. "We have to get away from here!"

" _Finally!_ " Sabin shouts, and when Terra turns her head to see what's happened, it's just in time to see Celes, Locke, Edgar, Cyan, and even Shadow and Interceptor hit the deck.

"Sir Setzer!" the Doman commands. "If it pleaseth thee, kindly operate the switch that propels us away from this place!"

The gambler is already steering. "Way ahead of you, my friend!"

They won't get very far, Terra realizes. She leaves Relm and Strago at the rail and fights against gravity and wind to stand. "Setzer, be care--!"

White-hot hellfire slices the Blackjack in half; it's blinding, searing, and a miracle that none of them are incinerated. For one precise, poignant moment, the Blackjack and her passengers are suspended: still life amidst raging destruction. They float for just a second, just long enough for them all to realize their mortality.

And then the Blackjack breaks in twain.

All reflex, Terra leaps from port to stern. She lands hard on her stomach, pushes up and glances backwards. Dust is in her eyes, hair is whipping about her face -- but all Terra notices is that half the airship is falling with half of her friends upon it. _"No!"_

She doesn't have long to despair, because the rest happens all at once. She sees Locke hanging on to Celes, but with no means of anchoring himself. Then they're both gone, and Terra finds herself tumbling, tumbling -- caught. Freezing hands grip her forearms; Setzer.

"Bloody hell," the gambler curses into her ear. "If this isn't the lousiest hand," is all he manages, and then they are blown apart, and the Blackjack heads for the ocean.

There's something strangely comforting about the way Setzer said it; he sounded just like always. It brings her back. She has things to do.

She's the only one who can really fly.

It can only have been several moments since the beam of light hit, only moments since Terra and her friends were scattered. So she acts fast: the fire within her ignites, engulfs -- she is a vessel of living flame; she is an Esper.

She shines in the darkness, a pink-white beacon. The Floating Island is collapsing, and boulders much larger than Terra are hurtling toward her.

 _No time for this,_ she thinks, disgusted, and raises one hand, evoking a bar of flame that explodes a boulder into a million pieces. Without looking back, Terra takes off, streaking across the black sky, searching, searching -- _They can't be... Gau!_ She spots him, tumbling along the winds -- and then Relm, not far away, and... she can't save them all. It's impossible. So she does the first thing that comes to mind: she pictures her friends, focuses her energy, and casts Float.

She doesn't know if it will work, or _how_ it will work. Still, it's better than noth-- _Fira!_ Burning-hot against her back. "Argh!" she cries, the force of the fireball sending her somersaulting through the storm. _Bastard!_ And, _idiot,_ she berates herself. _Distracted. Lucky fire doesn't do much damage like this._

Terra halts, mid-air, and spins around to confront the Brainpans. The smug-looking, disembodied heads taunt her, and she can tell they're getting ready to cast again. She snarls at them, "I didn't survive the Triad so _you_ could kill me."

When they move in, she starts off with Drain, to give her an extra burst of energy. To confuse them, she unleashes a flurry of Blizzara spells upon them, following them up with Fira. The Brainpans had no chance against her, and she smirks as they dissolve into dust, carried away on the winds.

The storm is getting harsher, and beneath her, the world is shattering. Everyone is helpless. The thought brings a choked sob to her throat. Empire, Returners, everyone -- it was all for naught, because it is the Warring Triad that triumphs.

Them and _Kefka._

" _Kefka,_ " she growls, feeling predatory and vengeful as she looks up at the Floating Island. He's still up there, the monster, commanding this destruction. "Not for long," she decides, taking off for the island. "If we accomplish nothing else..."

 _WE HEAR._

Terra doesn't stop, but her senses heighten and she has a feeling she knows who is speaking to her. He won't even fight her himself! "Kekfa!"

 _YOU WILL NOT._

Terra screams as only an Esper truly can, her powerful voice echoing through the storm: "You _coward!_ "

She doesn't stop flying until the Triad shoots her out of the sky. It happens so quickly -- she sees white, then black. Her core burns, and they think she is dead -- but she was born of the three elements and human determination. She is not done yet.

So as Terra falls through the sky, consciousness slipping away from her, she gives everything she has left.

And casts Float.


End file.
